REACTION TO DEFEAT

Chronicle (Levin), 25 June 1947, Page 3

REACTION TO DEFEAT

SYDNEY, June 24. Thougli the general attitude of Rugby Union followers towards Saturday 's crushing defeat of New South Wales by the All Blacks is one of sportsmanship and willingness to learn, the occasion has not been without its intemperate criticism and somewhat belated search- for excuses. A sanifde of the former is contained in an article by the former Australian international, S. C. King, who states: "Tlie New South Wales team did an injustiee to the standard of Rugby Union in this State when it deteriorated into a rabble under the lash of the masterful All Blacks. The men who had grown to giant stature in one afternoon two weeks ago wilted-to pygmies,. and their hastily-built reputations slirank in proportion. Nothing can detract from the All Blacks' win, but I am sure they would have preferred more worthy opponents. " This is manifestly unfair to a team which had scored a well-deserved win against the New Zealanders- a fortnight before and which, though hopelessly outplayed, kept battering against the impenetrable New Zealand defence until tlie fmal whistle. It seems now that by counting too mueh on the result of that early match ahd by undefestimating the possible imiirovement Of the All Blacks during a tough sehedule, the selectors have missed the chance of carrying off the Bledisloe Cup. The defeat in Brisbane, followed by Saturday 's disaster, has left the selectors scratching for players. When men such as Hardcastle, Cornforth, Windon and Piper are discarded and a code of secrecy adopted as to the training of the new team, signs of major panic are disc.ernible amo'ng the selectors.